Bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device



June 10, 1958 D. GOLDSTEIN BOTTLE TOPPER DISPLAY PANEL AND ANTI-THEFT DEVICE Filed July 12, 1956 IN VENTOR DANIEL GOLDSTE/N BOTTLE T UPPER DISPLAY PANEL ANTI-THEFT DEVICE Dan Goldstein, New York, N. Y., assignor to Schenley Industries, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware 1 Application July 12, 1956, Serial No. 597,460

' 1 Claim. (Cl. 40-4) This invention relates to advertising displays and more particularly to a bottle topper display panel and antitheft-device for use with a bottle display comprising two outside bottles of one height and capacity and an intermediate bottle of a smaller height and capacity to lock the three bottles together against theft and, at the same time, provide an upstanding display panel.

- As is well known, it is common practice in retail establishments selling bottled beverages to display bottles thereof in various decorative arrangements on counters or other supporting surfaces'and, furthermore, it is common practice to display panels or signs having advertising indicia thereon. Considerable trouble has been experienced with theft of bottles from suchdisplays and furthermore, it was necessary to provide some means, such as an easel, for supporting the display signs or panels. Accordingly, a device which would serve to lock the bottles of a display together, in order to effectively prevent theft of a single bottle and, at the same time, to pro vide a support for a display sign or panel would appear to represent a very worthwhile step forward in the art.

it is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device which may be conveniently and economically manufactured by relatively simple die-stamping and cutting operations from a single blank of suitable material, such as corrugated board or the like.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device which may be applied to a bottle display comprising three bottles disposed in a line and with the two outside bottles of one height and capacity and the intermediate bottle of a smaller height and capacity.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device which may be conveniently applied to a three bottle dis- Uni ed St tes, Patent play in order to effectively lock the three bottles together as a unit and, at the same time,.support the display panel in an upright position. p a

' Another object of theinvention is the provision of a bottle topped display panel and anti-theft device which may be provided as a flat precut blank which may thereafter be conveniently folded by hand to permit application of the same to a bottle display.

A further object of the invention is the provision of bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device which may be utilized in connection with a bottle display incorporating bottles of diiferent size and capacity and which will serve to lock such bottles together as a unit to prevent theft thereof and, at the same time, support the display panel in an upright position.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank precut to provide a bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2, a front elevational view showing the display ice panel and anti-theft device of this invention installed on a three bottle display with-the bottles being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3, a rear view in perspective showing the bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device of this invention in place on a three bottle display, two of the bottles being of one size and capacity and the intermediate bottle being of a smaller size and capacity; and

Fig. 4, a rear view in perspective showing the bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device of this invention in place on a three bottle display, the bottles being of three difference sizes and capacity.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown a bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device constructed in accordance with this invention and which may Well comprise a flat substantially rectangular blank 10 of suitable material, such as corrugated paper board or the like and the blank 10 is provided with top and bottom edges 11 and 12 respectively, and with side edges 13 and 14. The blank 10 is, in eiiect, divided into a body portion 15' which may have advertising inclicia applied thereto and a bottle neck engaging portion 16 adjacent the lower edge 12 of the blank 10.

Extending from the lower edge 12 of the blank 10, substantially midway between the side edges 13 and 14 is a substantially rectangular projection 17 and provided in the projection 17 is a slit 18 of substantially horseshoe configuration with the ends 19 of the slit 18 terminating in alignment with the bottom edge 12 of the blank 10. Fold lines 20 extend between the inner ends 19 of the slit 18 and the side edges 21 and 22 of the projection 17, these fold lines 20 being in alignment with the bottom edge 12 of the blank 10.

An arcuate slit extends across the bottle neck engaging portion 16 from the juncture 24 between the side edge 21 of the projection 17 and bottom edge 12 of the blank 10 to provide a side flap 25. Similarly, an arcuate slit 26 extends across the bottle neck engaging portion 16 from the juncture 27 of the side edge 22 of the projection 17 and the bottom edge 12 of the blank 10 to provide an opposite side flap 28. A slit of horseshoe-configuration is provided in the flap 28. A fold line 31 extends between the inner end 32 of slit 29 and the inner end 33 of arcuate slit 23. Likewise, a fold line 34 extends between the inner end 35 of slit 29 and the side edge 13 of the blank 10. A fold line 36 extends between the inner end 37 of the slit 3t) and the inner end 38 of the arcuate slit 26 and a fold line 39 extends between the inner end 46 of the slit 3t) and the side edge 14 of the blank 10.

The display panel and anti-theft device of this invention is normally supplied as a fiat blank, as shown in Fig. l, and when it is desired to use the same in connection with a bottle display, such as is shown in Fig. 2, with three bottles 41, 42 and 43 disposed in a line and with the two outside bottles 41 and 42 of one height and capacity and with the intermediate bottle 43 of asmaller height and capacity. It is only necessary to fold the projection 17, as well as the flaps 25 and 28 rearwardly to the position shown in Fig. 3, which will serve to provide apertures 44 and 45 of horseshoe configuration, disposed substantially horizontally at one height and a horizontally disposed aperture 46 disposed at a lower height and provided by folding the projection 17 rearwardly.

" 2,837,848 v V f the aperture 46 in the projection 17. As best shown in Fig. 2, the downwardly extending tabs 47 and 48 will engage the front surfaces of the bottles 41 and 42 and the downwardly extending tab 49 will engage the front surface of the bottle 43.

Upon installation of the display panel and anti-theft device of this invention on the bottle necks describcd above, it will be seen, that the bottle necks will be tightly engaged by the side edges of the apertures in the flaps 25 and 28 and in the projection 46 in order to securely lock the bottles together as a unit and that by reason of the engagement of the tabs 47 and 48 and 49 with the vertical surfaces of the bottles 41, 42 and 43, that the body portion 15 of the blank will be securely supported in upright position thereby presenting a pleasing and decorative display of both the bottles and the display panel. It is also to be noted, that the necks of the bottles are substantially covered, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby leaving only the bodies of the bottles visible which adds to the attractiveness of the display and further calls attention to the labels on the bottles.

With particular reference to Fig, 4 of the drawing, there is shown a modified form of the invention for accommodating bottles of three diiferent sizes and capacity and which may well comprise a fiat substantially rectangular blank 53 of suitable material, such as corrugated paper board or the like and the blank 53 is provided with a top edge 54, side edges 55 and 56 and a stepped bottom edge 57. The blank 53 is, in effect, divided intoa body portion 58 which may have advertising indicia applied to the front face thereof and a bottle neck engaging portion 59 adjacent the lower edge 57 of the blank 53.

Spaced cuts or cutting lines 69 and 61 are provided in the bottle engaging portion 59 of the blank 53 and these cuts or cutting lines extend to the bottom edge 57. Also provided in the blank 53 are fold lines 62, 63 and 64 and these fold lines in conjunction with the cuts 60 and 61 provide rearwardly bendable flaps 65, 66 and 67. The flaps 65, 66 and 67 are provided with slits 68, 69 and 70 respectively, or horseshoe configuration and, as shown in Fig. 4, when the flaps 65, 66 and 67 are folded rearwardly of the blank 53 along the fold lines 62, 63 and 64, there will be provided downwardly extending substantially rigid bottle engaging tabs 71, 72 and 73.

In Fig. 4 the modified form of the device is shown in position on three bottles of different size and capacity and for purposes of illustration only, there is shown a halfpint bottle 74, a pint bottle 75 and a fifth or quart bottle 76. In use, it is only necessary to fold the flaps 65, 66 and 67 rearwardly along the fold lines 62, 63 and 64 and to position the neck 77 of the half-pint bottle 74 in the opening provided by the slit 68 in the flap 65, to position the neck 78 of the pint bottle 75 in the opening provided by the slit 69 in the flap 66 and position the neck 79 of the fifth or quart bottle 76 in the opening provided by the slit 7!) in the flap 67. In this position, the downwardly extending tabs 71, 72 and 73 will engage the front surfaces of the bottles 74, 75 and 76 respectively, to support the blank or panel 53 in an upright position on the bottles '4 in the same manner as described above, in connection with the first form of the invention.

It will be seen that by the above described invention there has been provided a relatively simple, yet highly effective bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device and one which may be conveniently and economically manufactured and utilized as advertising and display media which will also effectively prevent theft of bottles from a display and without detracting from the appearance thereof.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

A bottle topper display panel and anti-theft device for use with a bottle display comprising three bottles disposed in a line with the two outside bottles of one height and capacity and the intermediate bottle of a smaller height and capacity, said display panel and anti-theft device comprising a fiat generally rectangular blank having top, bottom and side edges and providing a body portion and a bottle neck engaging portion adjacent said bottom edge, indicia on said body portion, a centrally disposed substantially rectangular projection extending from said bottom edge, a slit of horseshoe configuration in said projection with the ends of said slit terminating in alignment with said bottom edge, fold lines between the ends of said slit and the side edges of said projection in alignment with said bottom edge, arcuate slits in said bottle neck engaging portion extending inwardly of said blank from the juncture of the side edges of said projection with said bottom edge to provide side flaps, a slit of horseshoe configuration in each flap, fold lines between the inner ends of said last named slits and the inner ends of said arcuate slits and fold lines between the other ends of said last named horseshoe slits, and the side edges of said blank whereby upon folding said flaps rearwardly there will be provided horizontally disposed apertures of horseshoe configuration for disposition over the necks of said two outside bottles and with downwardly extending tabs of horseshoe configuration engaging the front surfaces of such necks and upon folding said projection rearwardly there will be provided a horizontally disposed aperture of horseshoe configuration for disposition over the neck of said smaller intermediate bottle and with a downwardly extending tab of horseshoe configuration engaging the front surface of said intermediate bottle to support said panel in upright position and lock said bottles together.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,871,598 Everson Aug. 16, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS 995,613 France Aug. 22, 1951 

